In clear defiance of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directives issued in January last year, the Punjab government has failed to constitute a jail reforms committee headed by a former High Court judge for modernisation of jail infrastructure across the state.

The committee’s mandate was to make its recommendations within one year after visiting the major jail premises and the state government was to implement the recommendations in a time bound manner. The court had directed that the committee shall continue to monitor the infrastructural and other changes to be carried out in the existing jails and in the prison administration system as per its recommendations.

But It has been almost two years after the High Court judgment’s release on January 6, 2015, and the Punjab government is yet to take any decision on constitution of the committee. When contacted, DIG Punjab Police Headquarters RK Arora accepted that the High Court verdict’s compliance is yet to be ensured. “It is under consideration,” said Arora.

Justice Surya Kant while disposing of a petition “Jasvir Singh and others Vs State of Punjab and others” had directed that other members of the committee shall include a social scientist, an expert in jail reformation and prison management amongst others.